Lexi’s Comments (group member since Jul 27, 2016)

Lexi’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

And back to the Asian wheel, Manman Duck

100 to 175
Red and blue on cover
MPG Romance
Title starts with a letter in FLOOD
Only one eye on cover

Day 1 Chapters 1-9

1. What an introduction! Wallace Price is quite a piece of work. He is definitely setting up as a redemption arc. What about the other characters? Do you have a favorite?
I like Hugo and his tea shop. The idea of tea and baking as a career has always appealed to me as a back-up plan, just with goats or the mobile version from Becky Chambers in A Psalm for the Wild-Built.

2. I have not read a lot of books about the afterlife. But this is certainly a gentle view. A private reaper, a quaint tea shop and time to transition from one state of being to another. Have you read other inventive takes on the afterlife? What is your favorite story (so far)?
I like this one a lot. I have read others but they tend to be more dystopian, like Scythe. Penric and the World of the Five Gods by Lois McMaster Bujold deal a lot with theology and the afterlife and that is also a beautiful version.

3. I am a little confused about the humanity of Mei and Hugo. The hook and chain connecting Wallace and Hugo. Mei able to transport herself and Wallace across great distances (and time, I guess). Are you questioning their explanations or accepting this as part of the universe the author has created?
I thought some of the time factor was from being a ghost and loosing pieces of time. For Mei, the start of the next section has a longer explanation. I have been fine with the limited explanation given from the hooks and reality in this world.

4. The chemistry between Hugo and Wallace was a little surprising to me. Where do you see the relationship between Hugo and Wallace going?
It was not surprisng to me, but I have read Klune’s other books. Romance tends to be a key part of the narrative and part of the redemptive arc. This is a reread for me so I won't guess.

Another repeat, the Griffin is back

We seem to be down to 4 monsters so I will go spin another one. Back to Greek as we have been Urban for a bit.

Cretan Bull is back

My audio book just came in but it seems that you have split DQs already. I can help if needed, as it is a reread for me.

Wow, I'm falling even further behind

That was my thought too

Attempt #2 to nominate:

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

Longest recent addition to my TBR that is not in a series (692 pages)

Saint Death's Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney

To be born into a family of royal assassins pretty much guarantees that your life is going to be… rather unusual. Especially if, like Miscellaneous “Lanie” Stones, you also have a vicious allergy to all forms of violence and bloodshed, and an uncanny affinity for bringing the dead back to life.

To make matters worse, family debt looms – a debt that will have to be paid sooner rather than later if Lanie and her sister are to retain ownership of the ancestral seat, Stones Manor. Lanie finds herself courted and threatened by powerful parties who would love to use her worryingly intimate relationship with the goddess of death for their own nefarious ends. But the goddess has other plans…

Made good progress last month, read 3 and added 1 - 30 to go

April NetGalley Challenge
Beginning of month
Books on shelf: 30
Feedback ratio: 82%

2019:

2020:

2021:

2022:

2023:


One left from the end of March who is up next and then need to work on the 4 in May.

I'm in; can I have the first day?

Sophie wrote: "Janeylou wrote: "Ok folks , i need a quick overview of TT and is it going to work doing lots of other team challenges 😀"

TT is very flexible so will work with any other challenges you are doing. B..."

Not a mod, but I will add unless you are a Manga or comic book reader primarily. They can get very frustrated that books don't count/can't be verified. (Same I guess if you are a cookbook or poetry reader only but there seem to be less of those).

Sophie wrote: "How about lobsters?"

How could I forget Cat's favourite, also ten legs.

Jenny wrote: "Melindam wrote: "What do we associate number 10 with?
[spoilers removed]"

I'm game!

-Top ten books of all time (read only classics)
-Fingers and Toes (read books containing certain mammals)
-10 ..."

Clearly you are missing the crustaceans. Crabs have 10 legs. Shrimp have 10 legs.

When the Angels Left the Old Country also works for light source if you all think that is harder to find than torso and brother

We have two of those at once, want to respin?

No more Sasquatch, we instead have a Mothman:

350 to 450 pages
light source on cover
Author identifies as male
Published in September
Book set in a state that contains the Appalachian mountains

Yay, snipe hunting

Maritza wrote: "I'm up to four read this month. I have discovered that reading on my phone isn't so bad."

I've read two but need to write reviews. I also have found that reading on my phone helps when I am really busy.

Sorry, you are dealing with that. I've been struggling with basic things today but blame lack of sleep and jet lag. The grad student is functioning better than me but I think that is the difference in ten years of age.